Deluxe
by Bramblerose4
Summary: The world is a wasteland. The city of Detroit survives, encased in a bubble and given an new name Detroit Deluxe, created by the powerful and mighty Abraham Kane. But not everyone agrees with Kane's ideals and resists the rule of KaneCo and have rebuilt a place they can be free: Motorcity, the MC. When one of Kane's top employees Cadet Michael Chilton defies orders he flees to MC.


**One.**

"Again." Jenzen said banging his fist on the mat in time with his demand.

"You wanna go again?" I asked looking down at my best friend, a playful grin plastered over my lips.

"We can't all be naturally talented," the blond cadet grumbled from the gym floor. "Some of us have to master things the old fashioned way."

"Fine," I agreed offering my partner my hand, my smile never leaving my face. "Just don't blame me when you end up in the hospital wing."

"Even if it is your fault?"

I shrugged. "Remember you are the one that asked to have their butt handed to them."

"You forget Chilton, you learn more in defeat than with a victory."

"Thank you Confucius. I'll remember that," I grunted as I helped Jenzen up. "And I'm sure that you'll be there to say I told you so if I ever lose."

"Oh, you can count on that, Chilton." Jenzen promised.

I barked out a laugh and motioned for Jenzen to reset himself. The two of us moved to the opposite sides of the large gym mat. "Which do you want?" I asked, referring to whether he would want to be on defense or offense.

"Offense and then switch to D," Jenzen stated, throwing out practice punches as he jumped in place.

"Whatever you say, boss."

Jenzen and I were both Cadets but since I came late to the academy Jenzen technically did outrank me.

I tried not to smile too much as they limbered up before their next round. Jenzen raised his arms up as far as they would go, held that position while silently counting to ten and then bent forward until his fingertips touched the blue gym mat. I twisted my torso, once to the left, held it for ten seconds and then moved to the right and held the position for another ten before standing causally waiting for the blond to finish.

Jenzen started off on offense. I stood to the side, making my slim figure an even smaller target.

Jenzen paused. I could practically see his thoughts as Jenzen dived in his memory, scrolling through every military strategy and each lesson in tactics we had in their eight months at the academy, searching for the best way to approach me.

_Perhaps I'll die from boredom_, I mused as Jenzen appeared more focused on debating which move would defeat the enemy than he was in besting the opponent in front of him.

I itched to attack first so the waiting would end, but that was not the role I had at the moment. I focused on my breathing and steadying my heart rate, pushing away my impatience. Just when I had managed to tune everything out around me, the other cadets in the gym, the sound of laughing and grunting, swearing as hard bodies slam into the mats Jenzen attacked.

Jenzen appeared to be winning, but that's what I wanted him to think. To make my opponent overconfident so he'll start making mistakes. In my experience there are two ways to win a fight with an opponent that is stronger than me or just as powerful as me; dodge and steer clear of their attacks to frustrate them or take a few hits to lure them into a false sense of confidence that they leave themselves open for attack.

I was sure my tactics instructor would have more timeless ideas and deduct points for damage taken in battle. He preferred misinformation and misdirection, overwhelming force and strategic use of resources. I could argue how I was using a simpler version of these ideals but I knew better, my instructor thought battles were elegant affairs where the stronger, smarter side won. Naturally talented or not, my recklessness was a fast track way to get me killed. Fortunately that natural talent seemed to be working on my favor at the moment.

Jenzen wiped his sweaty forehead with the hem of his light grey muscle shirt. "I'm not sure if I like being your friend," Jenzen said in a joking tone.

"Are you kidding me? Knowing me is the best part about being a Cadet."

"Well, we both know it's not the food." We both chuckled and headed towards the locker room to shower and get changed before the start of the nighttime meal.

When not in guard duty we two KaneCo cadets could be found in a corner of the gym practicing their hand to hand combat. When I had first met Jenson we had not gotten along, this was mainly due to the fact that despite having no prior training I was naturally gifted when it came to obstacle course; the top five academy times where all mine. We were complete opposites of each other, where I was slightly taller than average height, Jenson was short and blond. He worried about everything and took his responsibly of being in the academy seriously; while I constantly broke curfew. But perhaps the worst part was how effortlessly I had become the star pupil of the CEO of KaneCo, Abraham Kane even though I had entered the program two months ago. I had only enough respect for the academy and the rules to not be considered impertinent. It wasn't until I had taken the blame for something Jenzen had done that the blond had started to warm up to _the interloper_. Once that had happened, and he allowed himself to get to know me, we'd become inseparable. It was a friendly rivalry that existed between us. A precarious balance of pull and push that meant a lot to me, because out of the forty-eight year one recruits to the Academy Jenzen had been the only one to befriend me, the only one I felt comfortable with to be myself.

This was how we spend the majority of time together. We had become each other's companion. IF asked Jenzen would deny it but my involvement with the program also helped him shed a bit of his reputation of being a prude with a wide stick up his butt. I helped Jenzen chill out just as Jenzen's influence gave structure to my carefree nature.

"So why did you want to get your ass beat so bad?" I asked curiously as I uncapped my water bottle.

Jenzen paused in wiping his brow and lowered the towel in his hand. "Tell me you are joking." He insisted. "Do you really not know? Christ Chilton you are so out of the loop." Jenzen shook his head incredulously as I shrugged my shoulders.

"What? That shouldn't surprise you. You know that I am not that ambitious."

"Yeah I know, but sometimes I wonder…" Jenzen drifted off into his own thoughts. I took my time in drinking while I waited to Jenzen to come back from the path his thoughts had led him. "There's a rumor going around that Mr. Kane is going to give out the promotion himself."

"Really?"

"Ha, I knew that would get to you."

This news prompted my interest. Despite this being Kane's Academy I had only seen the man himself three times since arriving here. The first time had been during the assembly in the massive courtyard when I had been formerly accepted into the Cadet Program. The rest of the time Kane only appeared on the large TV monitors that dominated every main room during the weekly new program when Kane delivered news and made any announcements.

"Do any of these rumors explain why the sudden openings?"

"Most people think it is just a way to get us lowly cadets motivated to do better in class."

"Is that what you think?" I set my bottle down but continued to flip the cap off my thumb like it was a coin before catching it in my open palm.

"I think something big is going to happen and Kane will need as many of us working for him full time."

I caught the cap but didn't toss is again as I looked at Jenzen. "Jen-"

"-I know, I know. You think I'm crazy, but there have been rumors that the rebels have been more active than they have been in a while."

Rebels. I felt a shiver run through me at the word.

"Though I don't know what they want from us," the blond continued. "Why don't they just stay down there and leave us alone?"

"Who knows? It's probably the usual, food, fuel, the chance to run a knife over your throat." Jenzen looked over to me and frowned.

"You shouldn't joke about that," he stated his voice going deep with meaning.

I knew I had gone too far. "Sorry Jen," he apologized looking down. "You know I didn't mean anything by it."

Jenzen's face softened into a small smile, he never could stay mad at I for long. "Yeah, I know." there was a moment of awkward silence between the two friends. "I'm sorry too."

"For what?" I was able to look over at Jenzen in time to see him and grinned mischievously before he kicked my open water bottle.

"God dammit Jen!" I yelled as the blond ran away from me, laughing.


End file.
